India begin two-Test series in Galle as Shubman Gill leads side in India's 600th Test on Saturday

India and Sri Lanka meet in Galle on Saturday for the first Test of a two-match series, a fixture that is India’s 600th Test, with Shubman Gill captaining the visitors.

India named a 15-player squad that includes Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi and Sarfaraz Khan, while Sri Lanka’s XI features Dhananjaya De Silva (Captain), Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Keshara Nuwantha, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka.

Sri Lanka arrive having gone almost a year without playing a Test before their West Indies series in June-July, and the hosts will seek to exploit familiar conditions against an Indian side that, the report says, comes with its Test aura dented by recent results; both teams are described as seeking a fresh start in Galle.

The visitors are expected to rely heavily on spin, with Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja slated as the three frontline spinners, while Mohammed Siraj and likely support pacer Prasidh Krishna are expected to be used to keep things tight and provide timely breakthroughs.

Speaking on the balance of bowling, Mathews said: "It's definitely not wise to believe that cricket in Sri Lanka will be dictated only by spin," he said. "I wouldn't rule out the faster bowlers also because they are skillful. Guys like Asif Fernando and Vishwa Fernando have a bigger role to play as well, especially with the new ball," he added.

On batting strategy in Lanka, Mathews added: "It's about being proactive. I think if you are sweeping, sweep well. If you are using your feet, use your feet well. So, it's all about using your feet and also knowing your options of how to score runs on those wickets is going to be crucial." India will also expect contributions from their top three in KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal, with Gill remaining the pivotal figure; Padikkal has an opportunity to strengthen his case for the No. 3 position even after Sai Sudharsan's toe injury, and Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel—possible picks ahead of Sarfaraz Khan—have been noted as having struggled for runs recently.

Galle's surface is not expected to be extremely difficult early on but should gradually deteriorate, and Sri Lanka have historical success at the venue, winning 27 of the 49 Tests played there since 1998; while the hosts no longer possess Muttiah Muralitharan or Rangana Herath, Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis are cited as capable of exploiting the conditions.

The report notes that home series defeats against New Zealand and South Africa have hurt India's World Test Championship hopes, and a run of poor results alongside the exit of two assistant coaches and a fielding coach has increased the perceived need for a reset; Gambhir is described as unlikely to be removed immediately if India fail to win in Sri Lanka, but another disappointing series "would certainly lead to discussions about the team's red-ball direction."

Hello and welcome to the Live coverage of the 1st Test match between India and Sri Lanka in Galle.